Pinnaplasty: What Timing is the Right Timing?
- Posted on: Sep 15 2017
Pinnaplasty is a type of cosmetic plastic surgery. Commonly referred to as otoplasty, this procedure can correct protrusion, as well as folding over, or lopping off the ears. As such, it may be considered valuable to adults who wish to make the appearance of their ears less prominent. But is adulthood the best timing for a procedure such as this?
Parents of children whose ears are quite obvious may worry about their child receiving poor treatment from their peers when they enter school. The persistent teasing that a child may endure during the developmental years can create significant concerns related to self-esteem and the level of confidence with which a child carries herself. In most situations of cosmetic surgery, waiting until adulthood makes sense. Looking at the potential for childhood trauma related to ear positioning, though, we may consider pinnaplasty much sooner.
What You Need to Know
One of the driving factors in the timing of pinnaplasty is physical development. Naturally, it is necessary to allow the ears to come into their fullest size and shape before pinning. The good news is that the ears are one of the parts of the body that reach developmental completion early in life. Usually, by the age of 5, we can assess the need for pinnaplasty and perform a successful procedure.
The matter of timing after the ears have physically matured may come down to the comfort level of a child and his parents. Many experts do recommend that this procedure takes place before a child starting school. One of the reasons is because early correction of protruding or folded ears enables the child to begin the long years of social interaction with an appearance that will not invite unwanted attention. Another reason for early pinnaplasty is that the cartilage in the ear is softest during early childhood. This makes the pinning process much gentler.
Recovery from Pinnaplasty
An important question that parents have about ear pinning is how a child may feel after surgery. No one wants to see their child uncomfortable for any length of time. Typically, the ears are only slightly sore for a few days. The greater challenge that parents and young children may face is the necessity to sleep only on one’s back, with the head elevated, for several days.
Children and teens are in a prime time for pinnaplasty. However, adults may also elect to improve the size and shape of their ears through this straightforward procedure. To learn more, call our Leeds, West Yorkshire office at 07580 411 350.
Posted in: Pinnaplasty
